Ball-coupon distributor



Nm?. 1o, 1925.

; 1,560,974 E. E. cLAYs BALL COUPON DISTRIBUTOR Filed April 6. 1925 2Sheets-Sheet l Y v I g g I n r I. W

Nov. 1o, 1925.

E. E. CLAYS BALL 'COUPON DISTRIBUTOR Filed April e. '1925 2 Sheets-Sheet2 Patented Nov. 10, 1925.

tartar rrica.

ERNEST E. CLAYS, 0F SALT LAKE CETY, UTAH.

BALLCOUPON DISTRB'UTR.

Application filed April 6, 1925.

To all 'wlw/my v.if/i may concern.'

Be it known that l, ERNEST l. Crews, citizen of the United States,residing at Salt Lake City, in the county ot Salt Lake and State ofUtah, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in ilall- CouponDistributors, oi' which the vfollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to coupons distributors, and has for its object toprovide a ball coupon distributor by which any number ot balls orspheres may be mixed Within a closed container, and allowed to tall bygravity into a contracted neck portion oi said container and from Whichthey are individually distributed at its lower end by a manuallyoperated release plunger, and ein posed to sight.

'lhese objects l accomplish with the device illustrated in theaccompanying d 1awings in which similar letters and numerals otreference indicate like parts throughout the several views, described inthe specification forming a part of this application and pointed out inthe appended claims'. l ln the drawings in which l have shown thebestand most substantial embodiment of my invention, Figure 1 is a sideelevation of the device. Figure 2 is a vertical transverse section online 2-2 of Figure et. Figure 3 is an end elevation of the device, andFigure et isa plan view of the device.

The device consists of a. rectangular box A having a glazed detachablecover B. A supporting standard C is secured on each end of said box, andeach of said standards consists oi a vertical member 1 with bracemembers 2. A horizontal shaft 3 connects the. upper ends ot saidstandards C, and on which shaft is carried the ball container D. Theball container D is a cylindrical member having diametrically disposedtrunnion sleeves 4, secured thereto, and which sleeves are journalled onsaid shaft 3. A closure plate 6 is 'fastened in the upper end of saidcontainer D by the detachable lock bar 7, which may have a small padlockattached thereto to lock said cover in place. A lock rod 8 is placedthrough said container D and With its ends engaged With the verticalstandard members 1 to retain the said container D in a verticalposition, except when it is desired to- IniX the balls vcarried in saidSerial No. 21,155.

container. The lower end ol said container D is given a tapered torni toprovide a discharge or contracted neck portion 10 having a central boreor the sine to allenv the hall coupons to fall loosely to the dischargeor levier end ont said neck 10. To prevent any stoppage ot the ^allsasthey enter said neck portion 10, l provice a sleeve 11 which is looselycarried ou the said neck 10, with upwardly extended plunger bars 12integral with said sleeve. and with the upper end portion ot said `bars12 passed through ports 13 in the Wall ot the taper portion ot saidcontainer D. @n the lower end oi' said neck 10, l attach a guide member11i, Within Which is manually operated a U-shaped gate member E. Acircular opening 15 is provided in the lower leg 16 'of said gate mem`ber E to allow the ball coupons to pass through, when the said gate isoperated and to normally hold the balls Within the'said neck and withthe lower one` resting on the said lower leg 16. A horizontal. slot 2O'is cut into the side roil' said neck l() to receive the end portion ofthe leg 17 oit said gate member E when the gate member is oper ated, andto hold all or said balls Within said neck above said leg- 17 when theone ball is held by the lower leg 16. A

stem 18 is attached to the medial portion oit said gate member E, and aspiral spring 19 carried thereon returns said gate member E to itsnormal position, shown in Figures 1 and 2. A sight opening 21 is cut `inthe side Wall ot' said neck 10, which opening is smaller than the ballsto be used in order that the ball supported by the lower leg 16 may beseen but Will not pass out through said opening 21. A hole 22 isprovided in the glass portion of the cover B, which hole is in alinementWith the discharge end of said neck 10. A trough 23 is secured Withinsaid boX A with one end thereof positioned belou7 the said hole 22, andwith the bottom of said trough inclined downwardly to support a numberof balls released `from the neck 10 of the container. A spring strip 211is normally held against the lower end of said trough and a detachableend therefor, and a spring plunger rod 25 is supported Within said box AWith one end protruding from said box and its other end bearing againstsaid strip 24C, whereby the said strip may be pushed away from the endof the trough to allow the balls 27 to fall from the trough to theinterior of said box.

Having thus described my invention l desire to secure by Letters Patentand claim l. In a device of the class described the combination of ballcoup-ons differently colored to represent value; a container withinwhich said balls are mixed; a shaft on which said container is rotatableior mixing said balls; means or' locking said container in a verticalposition; a contracted depending neck portion having a sight openingnear its lower end; and a horizontal slot transverse to and above saidsight opening; a guide secured to the free end of said neck portion; aU-shaped gate member operable in said guide member and having a hole inthe lower leg of said gate member; a stem secured to said gate member,carrying a spiral spring thereon; a box carrying standards to which saidshaft is secured; a glazed cover for said box; and opening in the glassof said cover in alinement with the discharge oit said neck portion; atrough secured at an incline within said box with one end thereof underthe hole in said glazed cover and a spring strip adapted to Jform theother end of said trough; and means to move said strip away from saidtrough to allow the balls in said trough to fall into said box.

2. In a device of the class described the combination of ball couponsmarked to indicate the different values; a container adapted for lateralrotation to mix said coupons; a normally depending neck portion havingasight opening means to open and close the said neck whereby a singlecoupon will fall from the said neck, a box beneath said neck having aglazed cover; with a hole in the said cover in alinement with the boreof said neck.

In testimonyv whereof l have affixed my signature.

ERNEST oLAYs.

